Adjustable shelf and clothes rod



Oct. 11, 1955 G. G. GLASCOTT 16 ADJUSTABLE SHELF AND CLOTHES ROD ,2 0 INVENTOR.

7 3 0 040: a. auscorr United States Patent ADJUSTABLE SHELF AND CLOTHES ROD Grace G. Glascott, East Cleveland, Ohio Application September 9, 1949, Serial No. 114,741 4 Claims. (Cl. 211-90) This invention is primarily directed to a combined adjustable shelf and clothes rod adapted to be installed in closets and hallways, to be used as a shelf for boxes and the like, and as a clothes rod for hanging garments. The front flange serves the dual purpose of stiffening the adjustable shelf and acting as a clothes rod. In many of the houses today clothes rods and shelves are infrequent and more are urgently needed. Other people are renting houses or apartments and do not want to add permanent installations of shelves and clothes rods. In many new buildings the added expense of shelf rails is avoided by installing this shelf directly on the walls. This adjustable shelf and clothes rod serves a two-fold purpose and is capable ofbeing readily installed in many locations and removed when required.

This invention combines the novel features of an adjustable shelf with a front flange having particular struc tural characteristics that make it adaptable as a clothes rod in addition to the stiffening it provides for the shelf.

An object of this invention is to combine with an adjustable shelf a deep depending front flange bent in the form of a channel member with the open end of the channel upwards so that the inner and shorter end of the channel may serve as a clothes rod with this shelf.

Another object of this invention is to employ in an adjustable shelf having overlapping plates a strong front flange consisting of a double channel in which a second channel is in inverted relation to the first channel serving as a clothes rod.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred form of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective from below of the adjustable shelf and clothes rod;

Fig. 2 is a cutaway view of the shelf mounted in position;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the shelf taken along the lines 3-3 of Fig. 2 showing a clothes hanger in position on the clothes rod; and

Fig. 4 is a partial sectional view of the corner of the shelf disclosing the securing brace to the side flange.

In Fig. 1 there is disclosed a view looking from below of overlapping sheets and 11 having side flanges 12 on sheet 10 and an identical side flange 13 fixedly attached to the opposite end of sheet 11. Both sheets have a depending rear flange 14 and an inwardly projected portion 15 from the lower edge of this flange. Thus, it is seen that this double bend of sheet 11 overlaps and allows sheet 10 to slide within sheet 11.

The front flange 16 has a deep depending portion extending into a bend 17 from which the sheet projects inwardly a distance to 18 and then upwardly to a rounded portion 19. This vertical portion from 18 to 19 designated as 20 is of lesser height than the depending portion 16 on the outside edge of the flange. The top of this returned bend portion is arcuate and projects into the closed end of the channel formed by the sides 16 and 20 and the 2,720,316 Patented Oct. 11, 1955 "ice lower portion 21. This arcuate portion 22 completes the double channel and not only serves to stiffen the inside flange and prevent it from buckling but also serves as a ledge or rod upon which a plurality of garment hangers 23 may be held.

Thus, it is seen that the front flange combines in a deep depending portion and a shorter return bend portion a strong front flange that may serve to give the necessary rigidity to the shelf, while at the same time acting as a clothes rod of simple and novel construction. Upon the sides of each sheet 10 and 11 there is respectively a side flange 12 and 13 provided with securing means for attaching the shelf into position in a closet or hallway. The securing means I have chosen to illustrate consists of an inverted keyhole slot 25 over which a screw or nail may be fitted and slid into the narrower portion 26 of the keyhole slot 25. In the illustration of a cross section of my shelf, I have shown in Fig. 3 screw attaching means 27 and 28 for holding the side flange 13 into position. The shelf would be installed by placing two screws in either wall at appropriate points and fitting the larger portion 29 ofthe keyhole slot 25 over the head of the screw and slipping the shank of the screw into the narrower portion 26.

This will firmly mount the shelf into position and allow it to be secured at a plurality of points and to support the heavy weight imposed upon the front flange from clothes hangers. The front flange will be secured to the side flanges with a mounting bracket 30 which I have chosen to fix to the side flange 13 as by riveting and into the returned bend portion 20 on the interior of the side flange in a similar manner. It will be seen from this construction that the overlapping plates will not be able to close completely because of this angle bracket 30 unless clearance is allowed between the respective plates of sheets 10 and 11 on the returned bend portion 20.

The upper edge of the returned bend portion 22 projects into the interior of the channel a short distance to allow a rounded surface that will not catch or encumber the rounded portion of a clothes hanger upon insertion or removal. It may project further into the channel and be shaped in such a way as to simulate the appropriate curvature of a clothes hanger. This provides further stability for the garment hanger in position on my shelf.

Although I have described but one form of the invention, it is to be understood that other forms could be devised, all falling within the scope of the claims which follow.

I claim:

1. A combined adjustable shelf and clothes rod consisting of a pair of extendible overlapping plates having a side flange on each plate on opposite ends of the shelf with means for fixedly mounting the shelf in operative position, a rear flange on both plates in a direction perpendicular to the shelf, a second portion bent inwardly of the flange for stiffening the flange, a front flange on both plates having a deep depending portion, a second portion projecting inwardly of the flange, a return bend portion, a further bent portion projecting downwardly and outwardly from the top of said return bend portion and securing means for strengthening the shelf under a hanging load between the return bend portion and the side flanges whereby the front flange serves to strengthen the shelf and act as a clothes rod.

2. A combined adjustable shelf and clothes rod consisting of a pair of extensible overlapping plates having a side flange on each plate on opposite ends of the shelf with means for fixedly mounting the shelf in operative position, a rear flange on both plates in a direction perpendicular to the shelf, a second portion bent inwardly of the flange for stiffening the flange, a frontflange in the form of a channel, open side upward, having a further bent portion projecting inwardly from the top of said channel portion to prevent it from buckling under load and to act as a clothes rod, and securing means for strengthening the shelf under a hanging load between the channel and the side flanges whereby the front flange serves to strengthen the shelf and act .as a clothes rod.

3. A combined adjustable shelf and clothes rod consisting of a pair of extensible overlapping plates having a side flange on each plate on opposite ends of the shelf with means for fixedly, mountingthe shelf in operative position, a rear flange on both plates in a direction perpendicular to the shelf, a second portion bent inwardly of the flange for stiffening the flange, a front flange in the form of a channel, open side upward having a further bent portion projecting inwardly from the top .of said channel portion to prevent it from buckling under load and to act as a clothes rod, said portion which is bent into the closed end of the channel adapted to conform over a portion of its arcuate surface to the concave portion of the :hook of a coat hanger, and securing means for strengthening the shelf under a hanging load between the channel and the side flanges whereby the front flange serves to strengthen the shelf and act as a clothes rod.

4. A combined adjustable shelf and clothes rod comprising a pair of extensible overlapping plates having a side flange on each plate on opposite ends of the shelf with means for fixedly mounting the shelf in operative position, a rear flange on both plates disposed in a direction perpendicular to the shelf, a second portion bent inwardly of the rear flange for stiffening, a front flange on both plates having a deep depending portion and a second portion projecting inwardly and upwardly of said forward front flange, the upper end of said flange being spaced from the front flange and the overlapping plates a distance sufficient to permit a coat hanger to be inserted therein so as to rest on the edge .of said flange, and securing means for strengthening the shelf under a hanging load between the second portion and the side flanges whereby the front flange serves to strengthen the shelf and act as a clothes rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,064,737 Jamison June 17, 1 913 1,132,190 Kohout Mar. 16, 1915 1,521,902 Mott Jan. 6, 1925 1,690,910 Shapiro Nov. 6, 1928 1,984,080 Onions Dec. 11, 1934 1,991,947 Kochheiser Feb. 19, 1935 2,266,274 Schroeder Dec. 16, 1941 2,346,150 Brown Apr. 11, 1944 2,441,721 Schroeder May 18, 1948 2,485,165 'Pollman Oct. 18, 1949 

